3 ways leaders can help employees embrace AI

(BPT) - Most people may be unaware how much Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become part of their lives. From GPS and predictive text on smartphones to search engines and customer service chatbots, AI is changing the way people live and work. AI involves the process of using algorithms to make sense of large amounts of data beyond human capacity to manage, with the potential to tackle more tasks than ever before imagined.

Researchers at Oxford University asked AI/machine-learning experts for their future predictions, and they said AI will replace truck drivers by 2027 and do a surgeon's work by 2053. They said there is a relatively high chance AI will beat humans at all tasks within 45 years, and that AI could automate all human jobs by 2063.

AI is increasingly used in the workplace, including for productivity tracking and numerous HR functions. Virtual assistants use proprietary AI algorithms to identify and screen candidates.

Employees first using AI may have difficulty making this transition, according to director of research and thought leadership for Dale Carnegie Mark Marone, PhD. In his publication, Preparing People for Success in the Era of AI, Marone discusses issues employees encounter adapting to AI, and steps leadership can take to help employees prepare for working alongside machines.

Marone outlines three ways leaders can ensure employee success in embracing AI: instilling trust in organizational leadership; providing transparency for employees to understand what AI does; and increasing employee confidence in their own skills to adapt to AI.

Trust.

Employees may worry about the true purpose of using AI in their company. If a solid foundation of trust in leadership is already established, it’s more likely changes will be accepted positively. Trust is gained by leaders exhibiting honesty and consistency in what they say and do.

Without underlying trust, implementing AI could be perceived as a threat. Marone recommends assessing the level of trust employees have in leadership using tools like engagement assessments, pulse surveys and exit interviews. If the trust level is not optimal, leaders must improve their consistency of communication and demonstrate the organization’s stated values in deed as well as word. Building trust is vital to helping employees accept challenging transitions.

Transparency.

Related to trust is transparency. Employees must understand what AI is and how it will be used in their workplace. People often fear what they don’t understand. While employees may not comprehend every technical detail, leadership should explain the use of AI as clearly as possible.

Marone gives an example of employees’ willingness to accept an appraisal given by AI rather than a human supervisor. In their research, 62% of respondents were more willing to accept an AI appraisal if criteria for the appraisal were completely transparent. Without transparency, only 32% of respondents would accept that appraisal. Marone explains, “People want to be sure that AI is delivering decisions that are fair and in a way that can be explained.”

Transparency contributes to employees’ perceptions of fairness. In the survey, 63% of respondents expressed concern about human biases built into AI systems, such as the inappropriateness of using predictive power for HR applications. Marone cites the example of an AI algorithm determining potential hires based on current company leadership, which “may suggest the desirability of hiring more white males.”

Employees who trust the role of human leaders to provide AI oversight, and who perceive transparency in how AI is used, will more likely accept these new technologies.

Confidence.

Employees feeling threatened by technological advances may be insecure about their own skills to adapt. Marone found that what makes an organization more agile in the face of change is the ability of employees and leadership to adapt, learn and assess new information, ask questions and analyze situations. Agility in the age of AI requires soft skills that machines cannot replace: creativity, social skills and judgment.

With sufficient training and development of those soft skills, employees demonstrate increased confidence in accepting and using AI effectively.

It’s vital that organizations lay the foundation for employees to cope with technological change. With preparation, gains achieved by adapting new technology won’t be offset by losses in employee engagement. Preparing the workforce with the right attitudes, understanding and skills will make future changes more successful.